91猫先生

From the desk of Wally Dawkins, Athletic Director:

You catch yourself noticing some interesting things when you sit on a beach for long periods of time.聽 My wife says it looks like I am 鈥渟taring into the abyss鈥� when I sit and gaze endlessly at the horizon.

Actually, 聽I am being quite observant.聽I do notice many of the wonderful things our awesome God has created and blessed us with.聽The way the moon effects the tide is amazing to say the least.聽Watching the waves roll in for long periods of time is like watching a fire鈥�mesmerizing.聽And what is that dark shadow swimming just below the surface.聽Is it a shark? Possibly a dolphin or manatee? Is it just a school of minnows or a clump of seaweed?聽I also notice the things of the air.聽 Like sunsets.聽 No two of which are alike.聽Cloud formations that not only change colors, but turn into 鈥渁nimal shapes鈥�.

Then there are all the different types of birds that hover overhead. 聽Skimmers are cartoonish and cool, while聽Pelicans, though bulky, can be oh-so-graceful.聽Two types of birds that I catch myself paying the most attention to are Seagulls and Ospreys.聽The behavior and character traits of these two birds are so different from one another, yet are also very 鈥減eople-like鈥�.

The Osprey or 鈥淪ea Eagle鈥� is such a magnificent winged creature, and the way this bird spends the day is a beauty to behold.

The Osprey is a worker.聽 The large bird is constantly hovering 30-40 feet above the water, using its amazing eyesight to possibly catch a glimpse of some unsuspecting finned creature down below that is swimming too close to the surface of the water.聽 After long periods of 鈥渆yeballing鈥� the choppy surf, once the Sea Eagle spots its unsuspecting prey, the bird goes into full dive mode with wings completely folded under and plunges violently head first into the sea, plucking an unsuspecting fish from its watery home.聽 With 鈥渕ullet in mouth鈥�, the Osprey ascends nearly straight up, pausing only to shake the sea water from its feathers while carrying off the fresh catch for dinner.聽 Once consumed, The Osprey is back to work, again and again, tirelessly repeating the routine until night fall.

Talk about work ethic!聽 Talk about stamina! Talk about not giving up鈥�or resiliency, this fowled friend is a great example of how hard work and persistence pays off. 聽Many times the Osprey will work in pairs or with their mate and let out a deep 鈥渃hirp鈥� when a successful hunt is concluded.

On the flip side, there鈥檚 our pal the Seagull.聽 Now, I like pictures of Seagulls, sitting on pylons, or when standing on the beach with their feathers all fluffed.聽 I suppose they can be cute enough.聽And humorous enough too, when a group of 20-30 huddle together in what looks like 鈥渨e鈥檙e here for the meeting鈥�.聽But the Seagull鈥檚 character traits are totally different than Ospreys.

The Seagull is what I call a 鈥渉oper鈥�. That鈥檚 hope-errrr.聽 One who 鈥渉opes something good will happen or come their way.聽The Seagull you see, in contrast to the Sea Eagle, stands on the beach, waiting for some poor unfortunate minnow to be washed up by the incoming tide and rest right between its gnarly three pronged toes.聽 It鈥檚 a great plan.聽 The seagull deducts that 鈥淚f you stand and wait long enough, maybe鈥�just maybe, something good will come right to me鈥�.

However, if a 鈥渇inned meal鈥� doesn鈥檛 present itself, the possibility of a tourist tossing up a chip or piece of cheese cracker is always a consideration.聽 This freebie happens only when the Seagull stands close by, hoping that the beach goer will 鈥減ay it forward鈥�.聽 Forward meaning tossing something up to Mr. Seagull.

One of the seagull鈥檚 worst attributes however, is its reaction to a fellow bird who just so happens to luckily retrieve 鈥渟wimmy鈥� or a cheese nip.聽If a feathered friend happens to have lunch washed up or thrown its way, the Seagull who is without starts squawking loudly and flies frantically towards the luckier loon in an attempt to scare the other bird into dropping its prize.聽 You see, not only do Seagulls refuse to put forth effort or work hard to be successful, they don鈥檛 like for other gulls to experience good fortune either.

Strange, but Seagulls and Ospreys do tend to remind me of some people I know (mostly relatives, and not on my side of the family).聽At 91猫先生 we want our student athletes to emulate 鈥淭he Sea Eagle鈥�.

Our coaches at 91猫先生 instill in our athletes that聽working hard is what God expects of us.聽Second Timothy 2:15 says 鈥淪tudy to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed鈥�.聽We want our student athletes to work hard in the class room, while on the field or court, and to work hard at representing 91猫先生 while exemplifying Christ-like character.

This year鈥�be an Osprey.聽 Work hard.聽 Work tirelessly.聽 Find joy in the success of others.聽Don鈥檛 give up and for heaven鈥檚 sakes, don鈥檛 let anyone suggest that you are acting like a Seagull!

That鈥檚 another reason to be 鈥淎LL ORANGE鈥�All The Time鈥�